Welcome to the Piano World Piano ForumsOver 2 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!

As a general rule, all finer regulation is best done in the piano with the stack on, that is, the action fully assembled and in playing position with cheekblocks in. The surface of the key bed never ever matches the surface of the bench. For finer key levelling, the action can be drawn and tipped so that a cut paper punching can be placed under the cloth punching or a thin punching can be torn out as necessary.

I noticed that you said that you didn't get good results with a levelling tool. If you have ivory keys they can be dished where they are worn. A straightedge has traditionally been used. Some manufacturers specify a slight crown. The sense of touch is valuable, too. Sighting along keys using a strategically placed light also helps.

Greetings, One of the most efficient ways to weight keys for leveling is the use of a long steel, threaded dowel with 3/4" ( 20 mm) washers on it. Use nuts on the end to keep it from falling apart. It will weigh about 10-15 lbs, (7 kilos). The washers need to be floppy loose,and when this is laid across the back of the keys, will evenly distribute its weight. I usually use the stack,though. It doesn't need to be screwed down with all the screws, just enough to lift the hammers off the rests.

Greetings, One of the most efficient ways to weight keys for leveling is the use of a long steel, threaded dowel with 3/4" ( 20 mm) washers on it. Use nuts on the end to keep it from falling apart. It will weigh about 10-15 lbs, (7 kilos). The washers need to be floppy loose,and when this is laid across the back of the keys, will evenly distribute its weight. I usually use the stack,though. It doesn't need to be screwed down with all the screws, just enough to lift the hammers off the rests.

thank you very much for your help, but I find it hard to translate what you say, since I live in Spain. Please could you send a picture of this system? My email is moisescata12@hotmail.com . Thanks

[quote=Ed Foote]Greetings, One of the most efficient ways to weight keys for leveling is the use of a long steel, threaded dowel with 3/4" ( 20 mm) washers on it. Use nuts on the end to keep it from falling apart. thank you very much for your help, but I find it hard to translate what you say, since I live in Spain. Please could you send a picture of this system? My email is moisescata12@hotmail.com . Thanks

\\

I don't use the system anymore, so have no picture. But, imagine a 48" threaded steel rod, (we call them "All-Thread" here). put a nut on one end and lock it in place. Drop perhaps 200 washers of around 1" each over the rod. They should have a hole in them large enough so that the washer is really loose and wobbles around. When you put a nut on the other end, there should be an inch or so of free space so the washers are loosely held. Laid across the back of the keys, behind the capstans, the weight is disbursed very evenly and holds all the keys down at the back. hope that helps.

I think you should call a real piano technician to do this for you. Grand piano regulation is complex and interactive. Leveling the keys changes key dip as well as blow distance, after touch, checking etc etc. everything is connected - change one thing everything else changes as well.

I don't think it is helpful for technicians to advise in this kind of situation. Readers think that a few lines of internet advice can get them somewhere, while we all know that the only place it will get anyone is into trouble.

If someone is sincerely interested in getting into this kind of thing, there are books and other resources. A lot of background knowledge needs to be internalized before someone can embark on regulating a grand. Asking a few questions on an internet forum about technical "How-Do-I's" is not he way to go.

James Carney
Full Member
Registered: 07/30/10
Posts: 440
Loc: new york city

Originally Posted By: Ed Foote

Originally Posted By: moy12

[quote=Ed Foote]Greetings, One of the most efficient ways to weight keys for leveling is the use of a long steel, threaded dowel with 3/4" ( 20 mm) washers on it. Use nuts on the end to keep it from falling apart. thank you very much for your help, but I find it hard to translate what you say, since I live in Spain. Please could you send a picture of this system? My email is moisescata12@hotmail.com . Thanks

\\

I don't use the system anymore, so have no picture. But, imagine a 48" threaded steel rod, (we call them "All-Thread" here). put a nut on one end and lock it in place. Drop perhaps 200 washers of around 1" each over the rod. They should have a hole in them large enough so that the washer is really loose and wobbles around. When you put a nut on the other end, there should be an inch or so of free space so the washers are loosely held. Laid across the back of the keys, behind the capstans, the weight is disbursed very evenly and holds all the keys down at the back. hope that helps.

The advantage to the threaded rod tool is that it takes a lot less time to put on, and you avoid the problem of the clip-on leads falling off while you're reaching in. That said, I use the clip-ons, only because I haven't taken the time to make the rod gizmo.

I don’t have the clip-ons but the older weights with the carpet tacks embedded. With the clip-ons can they not be bent slightly so the clip has to be opened a little for attachment? That way they would not slip so much.

#2034833 - 02/17/1303:52 PMRe: How do I adjust the height of grand piano keys?
[Re: sistimorgan]

James Carney
Full Member
Registered: 07/30/10
Posts: 440
Loc: new york city

I've borrowed another tech's weights for the last 10 or so regulations I've done and they work great - maybe 2 or 3 slipped off in 10 jobs, no big deal. And yes, the clips seem to fit a variety of backchecks. I also haven't had to use too many slit punchings once the stack goes back on for the final pass, which has been nice.

I guess I just don't want to spend $90. on lead, so if the steel rod works as well as backcheck weights that would be a nice option.

I tested without much success (uneven weight) did you atually use such a goodie ? Indeed the final is done in the piano, but it is necessary to do a basic key dressing when the keys are rebushed/ repaired.

It is fast to use sliced punchings if one does not allow "holes" to install.

_________________________
It is critical that you call your Senators and Representatives and ask them to cosponsor S. 2587 and H.R. 5052. Getting your legislators to cosponsor these bills

Try largest thinner washers with small holes and smaller spindle. worked for me. Correct. it's not perfectly even. It works just as well as any other method. I found it faster than fiddlng with clipons. Some fine adjustment is necessary with everything fully assembled and in place. Precise weight doesn't seem important to the tool being fit for purpose. Lead weights arent precise either.

There must be thousands of these tools of one description or another in workshops throughout the 'States. I've used a few of them myself in my wandervogel. (learning travels). Surely they can't all be wrong?